Healthcare practices have shown the tremendous value of three-dimensional (3-D) medical imaging scanner systems such as computed tomography (CT) imaging, as a diagnostic tool in the Radiology Department. These systems generally contain a fixed bore into which the patient enters from the head or foot. Other areas of care, including the operating room, intensive care departments and emergency departments, rely on two-dimensional imaging (fluoroscopy, ultrasound, 2-D mobile X-ray) as the primary means of diagnosis and therapeutic guidance.
Mobile medical imaging scanner systems have evolved for non-radiology department use and provide patient-centric 3-D imaging. Small scale mobile systems have evolved for use in the operating room, procedure rooms, intensive care units, emergency departments and other parts of the hospital, in ambulatory surgery centers, physician offices, and the military battlefield, and which can image patients in any direction or height and produce high-quality 3-D images. These systems include intra-operative CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, and related robotic systems that aid in their use or movement. The systems can include 180-degree movement capability (via movable “C-arms” for imaging). The systems may be particularly useful during surgery or other medical procedures when a real-time image is desired to guide personnel through a medical procedure.
Medical imaging scanner systems require a high level of operator skill and can require calibration operations to properly position the movable imaging components for a patient scan, and which can be complicated when a patient is immobilized on a bed. In an operating room or operating theatre, the size and weight of the system and the presence of numerous required personnel and other medical equipment can make it difficult to precisely position the movable imaging components for a scan of a patient without leading to collision of the movable imaging components with the patient, personnel, and/or other medical equipment.